The Tail of January Registration and Betsy’s Stress Level

We’ve been taking a little brake through the Christmas season and gearing up for skate sessions to resume on January 5th. To be honest, this is not my favorite part of the year. I love talking with the skaters after the break. I love seeing all their parents. I even enjoy the work of making new ID cards. What I don’t love is having to tell kids they can’t skate when they don’t bring the things required for registration. You see our insurance is very strict… naturally it has to be. Every January we require the skaters to fill out new liability forms. They have to bring a birth parent or legal guardian with proof of guardianship to sign the form in the presence of a staff member. This means Betsy has to be firm and tell well-meaning grandparents, stepparents, and friends that they are not authorized to sign the form. Then I watch as the sad skater walks away. This is part of my job every week but more so in January when everyone has to sign up again. I don’t want to be a complainer… I just ask for extra prayer that I would be bold, gentle, and diligent. Also that skaters would get to skate and hear the Gospel.

’08 MUSINGS

In the Skatechurch Office there is a large poster board with a chart of all the skaters who have responded to the Gospel for the first time. We have their name, photo, contact info, and the name of a staff member in charge of their discipleship. This morning I’ve been praying through the 27 names from 2008. It’s pretty incredible thinking back on this past year, the changes I’ve seen in these kids’ lives. 27 Souls for whom Christ died heard God’s call while listening to a Skatechurch staff speak His Word. Praise God for what He has accomplished in 2008. I am so excited to see what He does in ’09. I am grateful for your prayers and support which enable me to participate in this.